The District of Sicamous is getting a pump track!
Public consultation was held in February of 2023 to determine whether the public was interested in seeing a pump track in Sicamous. The public voted in favour of the project and the contract was awarded to Velosolutions at the September 13, 2023 regular council meeting.
Pump track construction will begin in spring of 2024.
The Kappel Street (West) Watermain Replacement project began on July 31, 2023 to replace the old watermain which was over 60 years old. The replacement of the watermain will provide reliable water service for Kappel Street.
The District has received approval to replace the culverts at Owlhead Creek, crossing Kerr Road. The existing culverts are very old, showing signs of failure and need to be replaced. During peak flow events, the inlets can back up with debris creating an increased risk of localized flooding.
In July of 2020, the District was successful in securing $5.9 Million in funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (Rural and Northern Communities) to build the Shuswap (Secwépemc) Healing Centre, a health and wellness facility being built in collaboration with Splatsin. The Centre will be the new home of the Sicamous Community Health Centre (previously the Sicamous Medical Clinic) and will provide space for allied health professionals to offer services in the community.
In September 2021, the contract for the project was awarded to Scott Builders Inc. whose design team includes health-care design consultant Dr. Avein Saaty-Tafoya and world-renowned architect Douglas Cardinal. The project, which is currently in the cost budget development phase, is being designed for 200 Main Street - property owned by the District of Sicamous and zoned Downtown Commercial.
The District of Sicamous continues to pursue the development of a mountain bike trail on the Owlhead Trailhead. The District is working through the application process with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FNRORD) for the construction or maintenance of trails or recreation facilities on Crown Land. Pending approvals, construction is targeted for 2023.
UPDATE: April 24, 2023
The District of Sicamous has completed a detailed design and is currently working toward provincial approvals for the Finlayson Boat Launch upgrades. The project requires working closely with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure regarding the R.W. Bruhn Bridge Project which is currently in the detailed design phase.
ORIGINAL:
In October 2021, the District received approval from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to proceed with the first phase of Finlayson Boat Launch Upgrades. Phase one of work, completed in November, included the removal of the federated wooden boat ramp, removal and profiling of the existing Gordon Mackie Square, and necessary in-stream works. The next phase will involve collaboration with stakeholders to identify critical elements necessary for achieving a detailed design. The design will then be submitted for permit approvals to begin the construction process. The project is being funded by District reserves which will be phased over several years.
The $1.7 Million Community Bio-Heat Project will aid in the production of clean energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions within the municipality.
The facility, to be located at 510 Thomsen Place, will consist of a biomass boiler heating system and boiler house which will repurpose wood waste into fuel and provide thermal heat to buildings within the Sicamous Industrial Park.
The District has received $1.5 Million in grant funding, including $512K through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, $875 Million from the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Bioheat Program through Natural Resources Canada and $175K from the Fraser Basin Council through the Community Energy Leadership Program.
In the Fall of 2021, council awarded the project contract to Fink Machine Inc. from Enderby, B.C. In October of 2023, the facility was officially commissioned and fully operational.
No future Capital Projects at this time. Stay tuned for more information when it becomes available!
The Province of British Columbia has committed to the replacement of the R.W. Bruhn Bridge.
"The Highway 1 four-laning project includes approximately 1.9 km of Highway 1 four-laning, replacement of the existing R.W. Bruhn Bridge with a new four-lane bridge, and intersection improvements between Old Sicamous Road and Silver Sands Road." (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
Learn more about the provincial project!